The Tanyard Apartments, Ramelton, Co. Donegal

Sitting on the banks of the River Lennon, this 1800s tannery building retains its original character and authenticity – while certain damaged elements such as windows and rainwater goods were replaced in our 2000 conversion, great care was taken to faithfully replace them with like-for-like fixtures. The building has been converted to luxury apartments but maintains its original beauty to this day.

The local rubble masonry and red-brick window surrounds are a typical feature of nineteenth century industrial and agricultural buildings – the Tanyard is thought to have originally been constructed by a George White who is listed as a tanner on Bridge Street, Ramelton in Slater’s Commercial Directory of Ireland 1846.

The building served as a tannery for the production of leather goods – this process required vast quantities of water, hence the building’s prominent location right on the bank of the Lennon river at the heart of Ramelton. It forms part of a rich industrial history in Ramelton which also includes the Kelly’s corn mill complex further upriver, the famous McDaid’s bottling plant, and various four-storey historic store buildings at the quays.